


something isn't right here

by isthepartyover



Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series), Fantasy High
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Kidnapping, M/M, i was prompted and i went feral, im just as relentless as fig, replacement with a demon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-13 02:47:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21487057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isthepartyover/pseuds/isthepartyover
Summary: "Something was wrong with Riz.Fabian could feel it, some instinctual part of his brain screaming at him that something was not right, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.He’s not Riz, after all, had proven that at the beginning of their adventure when he tried to investigate the scene of the crime (he still feels the long healed ache on his tongue from the glass), had never been good at investigating or reasoning beyond ‘that thing is hurting my friends, it needs to die’."(prompt from winterpower98: Riz goes missing and none notice until much later because Baron took his place)
Relationships: Riz Gukgak/Fabian Aramais Seacaster
Comments: 33
Kudos: 367





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> okay so i wrote a short fic on my tumblr  here  and got a message from  winterpower98  asking for a reverse of the situation...and i kind of went feral.
> 
> oops

Something was wrong with Riz.

Fabian could feel it, some instinctual part of his brain screaming at him that something was  _ not right _ , but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

He’s not  _ Riz _ , after all, had proven that at the beginning of their adventure when he tried to investigate the scene of the crime (he still feels the long healed ache on his tongue from the glass), had never been good at investigating or reasoning beyond ‘ _ that thing is hurting my friends, it needs to die _ ’.

But there was  _ something _ , and it was  _ bothering  _ Fabian.

He’d tried talking about it with the others, but either they didn’t see it or they thought it was nothing, some trauma left over from the whole kidnapping ordeal, or Fabian being paranoid.

(Fabian had thought for a moment talking to her, that maybe Adaine would be on his side.

She had gotten a  _ look _ on her face when he’d broached the subject with her, bit her lip as if she was considering, but shook her head in the end.

“He’s been through a lot.” she’d told him, looking over at Riz, where he was helping Cathilda and Gilear with their dinner for the night. “I mean, he’s been more...physically affectionate than usual, but I think I’d be the same after being held captive and almost sacrificed by one of my best friends.”

Fabian watches him a bit longer, how he causally puts an arm around Cathilda's shoulders as they look into the pot, before turning back to her with a shrug. "You might be right. I'm just...worried."

Adaine smiles a bit wryly. "Welcome to the club. Want Boggy for a moment?")

Fabian almost felt like  _ Riz _ with his theorizing and scrutinizing, studying the teen's every move and word.

It all comes to a head after a short battle on the shore, 'Riz' having almost shot Fabian in the arm, spending the entire battle flubbing attacks as if he was defending the skeletal creatures.

"That's  _ it _ !" Fabian roars, springing up after Kristen heals him and pointing his sword at 'Riz'. "You're not  _ him _ , and I won't  _ stand  _ for this anymore! Where is the  _ real  _ Ball, creature!"

"Whoa, dude-" Raug says, stepping closer to Fabian with his hands up, cut off by Fabian letting out a snarling noise, still staring at the fake.

"No, shut up. There's  _ no _ way The Ball would have nearly shot  _ any _ of us! Or even be  _ visible  _ the entire battle! And he's been so  _ touchy,  _ and he's been  _ sleeping _ , and just-just acting  _ weird _ and I  _ will not stand  _ for this anymore, I  _ won't. _ " He rants, watching the oddly expressionless look on 'Riz's face.

"Alright. Alright, let's just calm down, and not point weapons just yet." Sandralynn says, coming up behind Fabian and trying to force him to lower his sword.

"Not until I hear what he has to say for himself." Fabian demands, glaring. "Well?"

And at the question, the challenge, the thing starts to  _ grin _ .

Too wide, too many teeth, hands going out to show them the extent of sharp claws and oddly bent joints.

"I see you've figured me out, Fabian Seacaster. Well done." The thing wearing Riz's face says, voice now a breathy falsetto, "I suppose his true romance partner would be able to tell."

Fabian can practically feel everyone's eyes on him as he sputters, blushing furiously. " _ Romance pa _ -what the  _ fuck  _ are you-no, no, fuck it. Where's The Ball?"

The thing makes a clicking noise, and Fabian notices with horror it was starting to become more and more transparent, clean white bones held together by darkness and showing through green skin. "You cannot lie to me, Fabian Seacaster. I am made from them, you see."

Fabian snarls again, hissing. "How's this then? I don't give a  _ flying fuck _ what or who you are right now, and I  _ will _ hurt you as painfully as I can until you _ fucking tell me where The Ball is _ ."

It tilts its head at the question, as if the answer should be obvious, and Fabian feels even more enraged.

“Why, right where you left him, of course. The Hotel Cavalier. We switched when you arrived, as a precaution.”

Fabian doesn’t register moving, doesn’t realize that he’s mobilized now that he has his information, until he feels the impact of running his blade through the creature.

It looks down at the blade and then back at Fabian, laughing as it pulls it out of it’s chest and nimbly moves away. “We shall meet again, Fabian Seacaster. I did so enjoy fighting you last time, and your lies are so  _ delicious _ .”

And at that, it vanishes into the shadows, like the real Riz so often did, and Fabian doesn’t let himself stop, turning and jumping onto the Hangman, the engine already growling under him, ready as he guns it, turning widely back onto the road and back the way they had come.

Fig’s voice immediately jumps into his mind, a screech of  _ HEY FABIAN, WHAT THE FUCK? _

_ You heard it! I’m going back for The Ball! _ He thinks back, the Hangman chiming in (rather uselessly, as Fig couldn’t hear him) with a  _ Yes! We shall retrieve your Ball and wreak destruction on the ones who’d done this! _

_ YOU COULDN’T WAIT FOR US, ASSHOLE?! _ Fig yells again.

_ No time! It’s been  _ days _ , Fig, the Hangman and I can get there much faster than Gorgug can drive that rust bucket. Riz  _ needs _ us. ASAP. _

Fabian urges the Hangman faster, trying not to let himself worry. Riz was capable, he could hold his own, but-

He feels Fig enter his mind again, a smug sort of laughter in her voice as she continues,  _ ‘Riz’, huh? And I hope you’re happy, I’m using spell slots on this communication. 25 words, fucker. Leave it open just in case, lover boy. _

_ What-I’m not...We’re just friends! He’s been kidnapped and we were tricked, it’s just-  _ Fabian objects, sputtering, before processing her last sentence.

_ Oh, I’m going to kill you for making me use another just in case you fuck this up. And uh huh, keep telling yourself that. _

And then there’s silence besides the whipping of the wind in Fabian’s ears and across his burning cheeks, and he can’t help but say to the Hangman, “I’m  _ not _ in love with the Ball. He’s just..in trouble. And I want to help him! Because that’s what friends do!”

_ Yesss, master. If you say so. But, you might want to think on why you have been so worried about him in the first place since he vanished. _

“Shut up.” Fabian responds, automatically, feeling himself go redder.

_ Yesss, master. As you wish. _

Fabian groans, thunking his head down on the handlebars before looking back out at the road.

Maybe the Hangman was right.

And he did have a long drive to get through.


	2. Chapter 2

Honestly, Riz had lost track long ago of where he was, or what was going on, the few moments he spent in consciousness not enough to really tell anything apart from  _ pain _ and  _ fear  _ and  _ loud _ -

He thinks that at some point, Fig had been there, but something had been wrong with her, the normally boisterous girl subdued somehow, holding something gleaming and sharp over him, and he remembers screaming, pleading before darkness came again, but Riz isn’t sure if that had been real or a nightmare, everything mixed and muddled in his head.

He keeps his eyes closed as he slips back into wakefulness, everything still dizzying and awful, but…

There’s something  _ different _ , and it takes him an embarrassingly long moment to realize that it's  _ quiet _ , for the first time since he’d been dragged from his office.

The only sound he can really hear (and he has to  _ strain _ to hear it at all over the crackling of actual torches) is a quiet voice, bored and a bit annoyed.

“-told you, we’re done here.”

“But, I, uh, they-they said before-”

“They did. But  _ I’m  _ now in charge here, yes?”

“Uh, I, um-”

There’s a metallic sound, like a sword being pulled from a sheath, and the first voice speaks again, still bored and flat, but even more angry. “I asked you a question, didn’t I?”

“I-I-I, yes, I-”

“Good. Now, gather the others, and the components and notes we’ve gathered, and get out."

"A-ah, ye-yes, ma'am."

"Good. I'm glad we could understand one another."

There's a rustling, the sound of frantic footsteps, then nothing for a long moment, long enough that Riz almost drifts off again.

But then, something soft and yet sharp touches his cheek, brushing against it lightly but threateningly. “I know you’re listening, kiddo.”

His eyes fly open, but a hand covers them again, and Riz relizes that the soft thing that had just touched him was in fact, that hand, covered in some kind of fur and clawed.

“No, no. Best not.” the voice hums. “We’ll see each other soon enough. But I can’t have some version of me going around, can I? Confuse the underlings? No, no.”

“What...who are you?” Riz forces out, and the voice laughs.

“Oh, darling. Use your brain. Sklonda taught you well, I’m sure. And anyone related to Pok  _ must _ be just as brilliant.”

And that-that  _ hurts _ , more than his surely bruised body, more than anything he’d ever felt, and he suddenly feels so small, so inadequate, for not knowing.

He can practically hear the smug grin the mysterious person is wearing as she speaks again. “Oh, but don’t you worry if you can’t. We  _ will _ meet again, kiddo. And I promise to introduce myself  _ properly _ then. But, until then, I’ll leave you with your theories, and your prince, to lick your wounds. We gained much from you, after all. Much to use later. Thank you for that, by the way, kind of you.”

“Don’t.” Riz says, and he knows his voice sounds as broken, as tired and panicked as he feels. “Don’t hurt my friends.”

The voice laughs, haughty and cold. “Too late for that now, isn’t it?”

And then the hand pulls away, and there’s a faint rush of magic, and when Riz opens his eyes, he’s alone, in some creepy dungeon that he only vaguely remembers from previous times he’d woken up.

He’s terrified, truly, deeply, the deepest core of him shaking at the thought of what they might have gotten from him, what they might have learned, and he tries to sit up, tries to get out of there to find his friends and warn them that he’d fucked up immeasurably by lying and getting captured, but can’t, wrists and ankles held down with heavy chains.

Riz is helpless, alone and frightened and  _ useless _ , who knows what he’d unleashed upon his friends through whatever information they’d gleaned from him, and it’s all of that, plus the implication the mysterious person who’d just spoke to him had made that he was so much more inferior to his parents, that he’d never amount to either of them in terms of smarts or intellect or even courage-

He tries to suppress the urge to cry, a wave of sadness and utter hopelessness overtaking him, but is overcome, feeling his entire body shake with the force of it, everything he’d kept bottled up for six years pouring out of him.

And that, of course, is when the elevator across the wide room dings. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i thought this would only have two chapters but. yknow. it works better broken up like this, i think.
> 
> anyway come kick my ass to finish this please im begging you (flipwizardmcgay.tumblr.com) and vote now on your phones if you want the next pov to be riz or fabian bc i like both but i need to pick one


	3. Chapter 3

"Hangman?"

_ Yesss, sire? _

"I...let's say. Let's say that I have this friend. And he...he's always... _ thought  _ that he was going to find the most beautiful woman and rescue her and live out the rest of his days as a hero. But...but say that he met someone else. Someone funny, and brilliant, and is so badass, they'd never needed rescuing. And...and he really likes this person. But he's...this person, they're not what I- _ my friend  _ expected at all. But they're perfect, and-and-"

_ Sire? _

"Yes, Hangman?"

_ Plans change. Hearts...hearts do not always follow the path the mind sets. And if I may, I would say that Riz Gukgak is a  _ fine _ first mate. _

"I...yes. Yes, he is. Thank you, Hangman."

_ Of course, sire. And we shall arrive at the Hotel Cavalier soon, if my Infernal GPS is to be trusted. _

"Ah, yes. You're the best."

_ Of course I am, sire. May I drive through those glass windows when we arrive? _

"Oh, but of course."

***

The Hotel Chevalier is deadly silent and dark as they arrive, and Fabian feels a slight twinge of apprehension before the Hangman does as it had requested earlier. 

It's just as dark on the inside of the hotel as it was on the outside, and it sends a cold shock of ice into Fabian's heart, panic at having been too late, they've moved Riz-

And then he notices the elevator, remembers how Adaine had said she'd found some sort of ritual site down there along with Fig and not-Riz.

“Hangman? Stay here. Kill anything that tries to follow me, or comes in the building.” Fabian orders, sliding off the seat and taking off for the shuttered door, hand on his sword.

_ With pleasssure, master. _

Fabian yanks the grate open then closed again, and pulls on the lever that claims it’ll take him downwards, wincing at the janky rattling of the cage as it decends into darkness and praying to every god he can think of as it sinks farther and farther into the earth.

It’s both not long and forever until he starts to see light, a flickering, warm sort that starts to rise into the little cage he’s in, and Fabian drops down to peer into the room he’s being lowered into, hoping to gain the advantage over anything that may await him.

The room he finds is wide, almost as big if not bigger than the hotel lobby above, lit by actual flickering torches scattered about, giving everything a menacing glow.

And there, in the center of the room, splayed out and chained down to some sort of ceremonial altar, is Riz.

Fabian suddenly can't wait for the elevator to descend the rest of the way, the old thing moving much too slowly for his liking, and wrenches the grate open, sliding dexterously through the gap and rolling onto the floor, the elevator dinging softly behind him as he darts across to Riz.

As he nears, Fabian can't help but notice how truly  _ awful _ Riz looks, bags under his eyes and looking even thinner and more haggard than he usually did (which was saying  _ something _ , in Fabian's opinion).

He was also crying, thick, messy tear tracks gleaming in the torchlight, and Fabian feels his heart catch in his throat, a need to make it stop, make Riz feel better.

"Hey," Fabian starts upon approaching Riz's side, reaching out to wipe the tears away. 

Riz flinches, and Fabian stops, eyes widening as the smaller boy turns hazy yellow eyes towards him, clearly exhausted and worn down.

"F'bian?" He murmurs, almost in disbelief, voice rough, and Fabian tries to put on a reassuring smile, carefully reaching out again to brush the tears away, relaxing a bit as Riz doesn't flinch away, instead keeping his eyes locked on Fabian's every movement.

"Hey. Hey, yeah, it's me." Fabian soothes, trying to be as gentle as possible as Riz furrows his brow, clearly trying to study him, and then nervously clears his throat.

"How do I know you're not another nightmare?" He asks, voice tight in a way that Fabian thinks is because of fear, and he feels another flare of protectiveness.

"I...I don't know." He replies, honestly, wincing. "What...what would you like me to do?"

Riz's eyes close, and he breathes, clearly thinking (and Fabian has to push down the spike of fear it gives him, he has to be patient, be careful, because who knows what Riz has been through-).

"Get me outta here?" He finally asks, still quiet, but a little braver, more decisive. "I just-I just wanna feel safe."

"I can do that." Fabian promises, letting go of Riz's face to examine the cuffs binding him. "I, uh, might have to break these, though. I don't have a lockpick."

Riz frowns, looking up at the chains, considering just a moment before making a pained face, trying to curl into himself as much as possible. "Yeah. I, uh, dunno where my stuff is."

"I think the others have it with them in the van." Fabian tells him, before standing and pulling out his sword, considering where to bring it down to break the chains.

"Oh. Cool." Riz mumbles, still trying to make himself as small a target as possible. "Hey, uh, are you sure you want to do it this way? Won't that-won't that break or damage your dad's sword?"

"If it gets you out of here, I don't give a flying  _ fuck _ ." Fabian swears, and then brings it down as hard as he can on the chains holding Riz's wrists.

The links he hits break halfway through, denting the rest enough so that it's easy to pry open the rest with his bare hands, helping Riz sit up when he's done with a gentle hand on his back.

"Going to definitely have whoever has it cast Mending on this." Fabian mumbles, and Riz gives him a half-hearted smile.

"I tried to warn you."

"Yeah, well. I still don't care if it gets you out." Fabian repeats, bracing himself for another swing.

The chains attached to his ankles take a couple swings until Fabian can pry them apart, Riz trying to stand immediately but wavering on his shaking legs.

"Let me just-" Fabian starts, scooping Riz up easily, almost too much so, the worry that it brings only intensified by the fact that Riz doesn't protest the manhandling, only shudders and seems to melt into the touch, head listing onto Fabian's shoulder.

He doesn't bother closing the grate again, arms full of a broken-seeming goblin (and oh, god, it suddenly occurs to Fabian that he needs to make sure this is the  _ real _ Riz, he can't make that mistake again) maneuvering him around to pull the lever so they head upwards.

"Hey, Riz?" Fabian has to say, needing to know before he gets too far, before he spends another long few days scrutinizing and doubting, pulling some long-irrelevant fact from the back of his head, "Can you-do you remember what the-this is going to sound strange, and I promise this is leading somewhere, but-but can you tell me what the book Adaine stole on our first day was?"

Riz opens one of his eyes, slitted pupil dilating a bit as he studies Fabian a moment before finally saying, a little flatly, " _ Wards and Watches. _ It was in the restricted section, her sister dared her to steal it, and since she was the new Oracle, she could remove it, and removing it made it so things can be summoned or conjured on school grounds. That good enough?"

Fabian feels himself relax, the elevator finally rising enough so that he can see the headlights from the Hangman. "Yes, thank you. I-"

"They sent a duplicate of me to trick you guys, didn't they?" Riz asks, still monotone, turning his head so he could look at Fabian with both eyes.

"...Yes." Fabian says, unable to look away or lie to him, not when he's been through so much, not when he'd spent the past few hours realizing how much he had fallen for him, and especially when he knows Riz would find out anyways.

Riz makes some sort of aborted noise, a cross between a groan, a sigh, and a sob, closing his eyes and burying his face in Fabian's jacket again as the elevator stops.

Fabian steps out, carrying Riz over to the Hangman (who rumbles,  _ Nobody approached, sire _ into Fabian's mind) and setting him gently on the seat, kneeling in front of him and taking his hands in his.

"I knew." He tells Riz, watching as Riz opens his eyes again and looks at him, puzzled. "I knew. That it wasn't you. I  _ knew _ , and everyone thought I was  _ crazy _ , but I knew. And I came straight here once I found out where you were, and I-everyone's probably  _ furious  _ at me for taking off, but I had to come. I had to."

Riz bites his lip, puzzled look only intensifying as he shakes his head, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. "I-I-"

"It's okay, I'm here, you're safe." Fabian tries to soothe, not wanting Riz to cry again, but Riz shakes his head once more, pulling his hands away from Fabian's to run his hands through his hair, remaining chains rattling against the cuffs.

"I don't-how do I know  _ you're  _ real, or- _ fuck _ . Augh! I-I just…"

"Can I do anything?" Fabian asks, watching as Riz deflates.

"I-can I use your crystal? To call my mom?" Riz asks, and Fabian nods, handing it over.

"Of course. And do you want to wait for everyone else here, or take the Hangman and meet up with them?"

Riz pauses in his dialing to consider a moment, rubbing at one of his eyes before saying, "Let's-let's meet up with them? I can make the call as we drive, and I don't think we'll get outta signal range before we get to them."

"Sounds good." Fabian smiles, standing and brushing off his legs before climbing onto the Hangman, addressing it as he feels Riz's arm curl around him, holding on. "Hangman? Let's get the Ball out of here."

The Hangman's engine roars viciously, propelling them once again through the hole in the broken glass and down the city street, weaving expertly through traffic.

Fabian finds the thread of magic in his mind connecting him to Fig, and thinks,  _ I've got him. Stop and we'll come to you, I want to get him as far away from here as possible. _

And against his back, he thinks he hears Riz stutter out, "Uh...hi, mom."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> originally, this was going to be a twoshot, i swear, but theres so MUCH here...
> 
> prob only like 1 or 2 more tho
> 
> anway, as always, pls leave a comment or come talk to me at flipwizardmcgay.tumblr.com~


	4. Chapter 4

"Riz? Kiddo, are you alright? Why're you calling me on Fabian's phone?" Sklonda Gukgak answers her phone, harried but concern in her tone, and Riz can feel himself relax just the tiniest bit at the sound of her voice.

"I-okay, so long story. When did you last talk to me?" he sighs, pressing his cheek into the vynil logo on the back of Fabian’s (warm, god, Fabian was so  _ warm _ ) jacket.

"A couple days ago? You called after your friends rescued y-oh, goddamn it. That wasn't you, was it?" Sklonda swears, catching onto the implication quickly, like the brilliant detective she was.

(The mysterious person’s words come back to him, just for a moment, making Riz’s throat close with embarrassment and shame for a long moment.)

"Ha. Nope, you're-you're right on the money." he manages to breathe out.

"Well, fuck. Are you alright now?! You're with Fabian, right? Do you need me to-" Sklaonda starts, a rummaging in the background, and Riz can practically see her gathering her things from her desk, ready to drop everything to get to him.

(He feels so guilty for it, but a small part of him wants that. Wants his mom to come and keep him safe. But he can’t let her be in this danger, can’t let her be a part of this.)

"No. No, please don't-I'm. Well, not okay, really, but. I'm safe." he says instead, trying to reassure her.

"Okay. Okay, good you're safe. And not okay, what do you mean? Are you hurt or-" she starts, the rummaging noise stopping.

"'M not hurt, mom. I'm just-my head feels really messed up right now. I dunno what they were doing to me, but. I-I wanted to make sure you were okay?" he says, honestly.

"Oh, kiddo. Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. But I'd rather you make sure you're okay, got it?" Sklonda says, an echo of what she had told him on his first day of school at Augefort, and the memory hits Riz with the weight of a freight train.

"Mm. Yeah. Okay." he mumbles, shifting to press his forehead to Fabian’s back instead.

"Promise me, Riz. And that you'll call as soon as you're in cell signal again to give me an update." Sklonda demands, and Riz can’t help but smile a little.

"I promise, mom. And I will." he swears.

"Okay. Good. I love you. Be safe."

"Love you. And you too, okay?"

"Of course. Talk to you later, kid."

"Yeah. Yeah, talk to you later."

***

Fabian feels it when Riz finishes his phone call and slides Fabian's crystal back into his jacket pocket, not for lack of stealth on Riz's part, but because Riz keeps his hand in Fabian's pocket once he's returned it, pressing close against his back and holding on tight.

Fabian's never been good with words, doesn't know what to say, so he just keeps driving, keeping his eye out for a rusty old van at the side of the road.

He’s too preoccupied by Riz, though, by the way he shudders slightly against Fabian, like he’s crying or maybe cold, and it takes Adaine’s voice, soft and a little amused, saying,  _ I think you passed us? _

“Hangman!” Fabian grumbles, swerving abruptly around to see everyone gathered around the other vehicle a ways back, and directs them over, moving much more slowly than they had been roaring down the highway.

He feels Riz start to pull away as they near, and has to resist the urge to ask him to stay, to keep him there against him where he can feel Riz’s heartbeat and know he’s safe.

It’s odd, Fabian realizes, how much the realization of his feelings makes him understand the way he reacts around Riz, why he can’t tear his eyes away from him.

The waiting group watches them as Fabian pulls up, uncharacteristically silent and still as they all watch as Riz slides off the bike, Fabian turning as well to see the way his throat bobs as he swallows, arms crossed.

“Um.” Riz starts, “I’m...I’m the real me, I promise?”

And that seems to break whatever sort of spell had been on the group, Adaine moving forwards and opening her arms, silently asking for a hug, and Fig pulling them both into her own arms with a laugh before Riz can respond, Gorgug and Kristen topping off the pile.

“‘M sorry!” Fabian can hear Gorgug mumble, and he can see Riz and Adaine staring at one another, lips moving like they were having a silent conversation.

“We’re all sorry!” Kristen babbles, breaking the other’s concentration, “Fabian  _ told  _ us something was up, but, like, we all thought it was fine, and that was really shitty of us and we should’ve done something about it-”

Riz very much looks like he would be anywhere else but the middle of the pile of teenagers at the mention of everything that had happened, and that surge of protectiveness Fabian had been feeling returns again, propelling him off his bike and into the fray.

“Guys, Ri-the Ball probably needs a minute to chill out and relax...maybe a heal? And definitely his stuff so we can get these cuffs off. Speaking of, anyone have Mending? I need my sword fixed up.”

"Uh, dude, did you like, smash the links with that thing?" Raug asks as Fabian holds up the damaged blade, the other Bloodrush player looking impressed. 

"Well, yes," Fabian starts, the rest of his sentence cut off by Raug crowing about how badass that was, Kristen stepping away from the group to hover over the blade with two glowing hands, pursing her lips as she runs them over it, the metal reforming until it was good.

"Thank you, Kristen." Fabian grins at her, and Kristen shoots him two finger guns before they both turn to find Tracker handing Riz his briefcase, explaining about the Moon Haven in the van, Riz nodding along as he shuffles through his bag.

"Do we want to set up camp again or just head out?" Sandralynn asks, surveying the area, and Fabian watches as Riz winces, hands shaking and fumbling the delicate tools out of his hands.

“Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I’d like to move along.” Fabian announces. “We can sleep in the van, we’ve already lost some progress as it is.”

“Yeah, we weren’t hurt that bad in the fight. And we managed to grab a short rest on the way here, it’s no big.” Tracker shrugs.

“I, for one, am fully ready to go.” Adaine adds. “So, that’s at least me that can take care of things if anyone else needs to sleep in the Haven.”

“Excellent.” Fabian nods. “Because I would like to take a rest, and someone needs to drive the Hangman.”

Adaine’s face immediately shifts from confident to apprehensive, a brief look of terror on her face before Boggy ribbits, calming her.

“Actually....” Tracker hums, a wicked look in her eyes. “I’d love to give that baby a spin, if that’s okay?”

“I’ll join you!” Kristen pipes up immediately, and Fabian feels a brief surge of terror at those two handling his precious bike before he looks back at Riz, who is steadfastly working at his cuffs and pretending not to hear the conversation, and makes up his mind.

“Hangman, be good for Tracker and Kristen, okay? They won’t be able to communicate, so no wild, out of nowhere moves.” he tells the Hangman, who rumbles his engine a long, long moment before replying.

_ Only if you speak to your First Mate on your feeelingsss, sire. And I will choose to speak to Miss O’Shaughnessy and Miss Applebees if they ride me. _

Fabian feels his face go bright red, unconsciously looking over at Riz again for a moment before snapping back to the Hangman, choosing to ignore that first condition. “Wait, you can do that?”

_ Yessss, sire. Of course I can.  _ The Hangman replies, a little smugly, and Fabian scowls at it before just walking over to the Van.

“All yours.” he tells Tracker and Kristen, who look at one another gleefully before rushing over to the bike, Kristen hopping on while Tracker admires it.

“Dude, not to undermine your decisions or anything, but that _ may  _ have been the wrong move.” Raug says, wincing.

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep my eye on them.” Adaine sighs.

“Ahhh, Master Fabian. Those two lasses remind me of me when I was younger.” Cathilda nods. “They’ll be fine, don’t you fret.”

“Uhh, ma’am, I don’t think that’s what he’s worried about?” Raug grimaces, and Cathilda tuts.

“Now, now. Back into the van with you kids.”

Raug does as asked, piling in and settling himself in one of the blanket pockets, Adaine bringing one up to the front seat, Fig curling up in it inbetween her and Gorgug in the driver’s seat.

Fabian looks around for Riz, but can’t spot him at first and groans to himself.

No matter what the Hangman had said, he had wanted to talk to Riz, check in with him after what had happened and maybe catch him up to what had happened in the past day or two, since Fabian knew how much Riz hated not knowing things.

But, he had vanished into one of the blanket piles, and Fabian didn’t want to draw attention to Riz again by visibly searching around for him, so he simply chooses a pile and settles in.

A clawed hand emerges from the folds, enclosing around his wrist, and Fabian almost yelps before he looks inside and sees one yellow, sleepy eye watching him.

Riz puts a finger to his mouth and tilts his head, beckoning Fabian further into the blankets, and like a moth to a flame, he can’t help but follow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen to me. listen. i stan sklonda gukgak with every cell in my body. and also. riz and adaine's friendship is so important. that is all


	5. Chapter 5

They wind up almost pressed together, the pocket dimensions of the blankets not that large, enough to fit two growing teens but not comfortably, and Fabian feels heat rise to his cheeks as Riz fidgets a little, scooting up so that they were almost eye to eye.

Riz’s own cheeks were tinged a deep peacock green, freckles almost vanishing underneath, and Fabian tries hard not to let his mind wander into thoughts of kissing him, of letting himself feel those chapped lips under his own.

Someone coming onto him was probably the last thing Riz would want right now, after being captured and tormented by whatever minions had kept him and replaced him.

There’s silence between them for a long moment, Riz not meeting his eyes until Fabian can’t stand it any longer.

“Are...you okay?” he whispers, the moment not feeling right for anything louder, and Riz looks up, surprise quickly moving into something softer, something that Fabian can’t read as other than a little hurt.

“I. Uh. Yeah.” Riz stutters, shaking his head slightly. “I actually was gonna-gonna ask you the same thing. Because-well, Adaine, she told me about the fight, and Baron, and-and how you didn’t really get a rest before you came for me, and-and, yeah. Are you?”

“As long as you are, I am.” Fabian finds himself confessing, practically feeling Riz’s sharp inhale of breath, and something in Fabian’s chest feels unbearably warm, and he has a quick thought of  _ ‘well, if I’m already spilling my guts _ ,’ before he blurts out, “I think I’d do anything to make sure you’re safe.”

Riz is quiet, eyes wide, expression blank, and Fabian is suddenly so nervous that he starts babbling.

“I mean, I-I think, I never thought about it before I started racing to rescue you, I just-you’re so brilliant, and selfless, and I think-no, I  _ want _ -I want you to-to be safe, and happy, and I love to see you smile, and I want to be the cause, and-and I don’t know, I-this is all out of nowhere, you’ve been through a lot, I should go-”

He tries to shuffle away, face burning, but again, he’s stopped by a hand gripping his wrist, and Riz’s eyes on him, staring and studying him intensely, face colored that lovely deep green again.

“You...like me?” Riz asks, hushed, and Fabian can only nod, having already laid his scattered thoughts out on the floor for the other boy.

Riz’s lip twitches, like an aborted attempt at a smile, and licks his lips, opening and closing them several times before speaking.

“I- _ Fabian _ -” His name from Riz’s lips is a wet sort of exhale, and Fabian feels his breath catch in his chest as a single tear falls from Riz’s eyes, and unable to help himself, he reaches out to brush it away.

Riz hiccups out a sound that’s a cross between a laugh and a sob, and Fabian strokes his thumb over his cheek again, Riz’s gravity pulling him in, stopping himself only a fraction of an inch away from his lips.

“Stop me if this isn’t what you need right now.” he begs, and Riz’s only answer is to close the distance, pressing chapped lips to Fabian’s smooth ones.

The kiss only lasts a second, a fraction of a moment, but at the same time, an eternity, a beat of a heart captured in Fabian’s mind like a photograph, and he feels Riz exhale again, a little jittery.

“We need. To talk about this. When I’m less. Out of sorts.” Riz breathes out, panting and stuttered, and Fabian nods, scooting away.

“Of course, I’ll-”

“Stay?” Riz interrupts, quiet, the grip he still has on Fabian’s wrist becoming tighter, “I’m-”

_ I’m afraid, _ Fabian’s mind supplies, filling in the blank he knows Riz would never say, would never admit weakness, especially now at the beginning of their adventure.

“Of course, Riz.” he whispers back, settling into a more comfortable position, and Riz blushes, settling into Fabian’s side.

“I like it. When you say my name.” he murmurs, ducking his head into Fabian’s shoulder.

“Oh. Well. Then, good night, Riz.” Fabian says, pressing his lips to Riz’s hair. “I’ll be right here in the morning.”

He feels Riz let out a breath, tangling his hand in Fabian’s shirt, murmuring as Fabian drifts off, “Thank you. For. Everything.”

“Anything for you.” Fabian mumbles back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and well. that's it.
> 
> thank you to all y'all who read and supported me thru this, you mean a lot to me
> 
> now im very ill so back to bed ill continue throwing things in this tag here soon


End file.
